The Subaru Tribeca Had 1 Advantage Over the Toyota Highlander
When you think of the most influential midsize sedans in automotive history, it is hard to not have the Toyota Highlander come to mind. When it was first introduced for the 2001 model year, it was one of the first car-based SUVs, making it one of the first crossover SUVs ever built.
If you are looking for a used midsize SUV, the 2014 Highlander is an excellent choice, beating out just about every competitor in every category. However, there was one other crossover SUV from 2014 that beat the legendary Highlander in one key category. Here is everything you need to know about the 2014 Toyota Highlander and the one midsize SUV from 2014 that beat it in one key category.
The 2014 Subaru Tribeca leads the pack in safety
An unlikely candidate for one of the safest vehicles of 2014, the Subaru Tribeca beat the Toyota Highlander in overall safety for 2014. This was the final year for the Tribeca, it never really took off as expected, with just about every other vehicle in its class performing better for a cheaper price.
However, the 2014 Tribeca was known for its safety, receiving all “good” safety ratings from the IIHS, and performing near perfectly in NHTSA crash tests, even going as far as receiving a four-star rating in the infamous rollover test.
The Subaru Tribeca may not necessarily win over consumers with its other features, but if you are looking for a safe, used midsize SUV, you can’t get much better than the 2014 Tribeca.
The Toyota Highlander is no slouch when it comes to safety
While the 2014 Subaru Tribeca may lead the pack for the 2014 model year in safety, the 2014 Toyota Highlander still holds its own in safety. According to U.S. News, the Highlander received all four and five-star crash safety ratings from the NHTSA and all “good” ratings from the IIHS with one “acceptable” safety rating in the Small Overlap Front Driver Test. Despite this one low rating, the 2014 Highlander received the IIHS’ Top Safety Pick+ for 2014.
Should you consider a used Toyota Highlander or Subaru Tribeca?
While the Highlander does succeed in every other way when compared to the Subaru Tribeca, a used Highlander is also much more expensive in the used market when compared to the Tribeca.
On the used market, the 2014 Highlander typically sells for around $20,000 to $26,000, depending on the model and condition, while the 2014 Subaru Tribeca sells for around $17,500 on the used market.
So while Toyota may offer a superior product in nearly every way, the consumers who are able to handle the shortcomings found with the Subaru Tribeca will find they have an excellent, safe vehicle, for nearly half the price of the competition.
